


O Sula Mio

by Carmarthen



Category: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian, Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Animals, Canon Era, Crack, Crossover, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Marius Is Literally A Seabird, Science, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 17:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmarthen/pseuds/Carmarthen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Cosette encounters a booby in the Ménagerie of the Jardin des Plantes, and Valjean is relieved. (Knowledge of Aubrey-Maturin canon not required.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	O Sula Mio

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Ireny's [glorious art](http://irenydrawsdeadpeople.tumblr.com/post/51093084826/entirely-the-fault-of-this-post) (and [there's more!](http://irenydrawsdeadpeople.tumblr.com/post/51200383638/the-continuing-adventures-of-actual-booby-marius)).
> 
> Thanks to melannen for the title and Ten Little Bullets for giving this a once-over for Maturin characterization.

Cosette was feeling particularly fine that day, in a brown silk dress with feather trim and cunning shoes of a lovely shade of sky blue; and instead of going to the Luxembourg as usual Papa had brought them to the Jardin des Plantes, where the Ménagerie had a great birdhouse full of all kinds of birds from all over the world, egrets and peacocks and flamingos. She twirled happily along the paths, running a little ahead of Papa, who was after all much older than her and not so excitable; she had to pick up her skirts a little so as not to trip, and her blue-shod feet flashed as neatly as a dancer’s over the paving-stones.

A piercing whistle drew her up short, prepared to be affronted at one of the—often rather rude—young men she sometimes encountered in the Luxembourg. But it was only a bird, a queer brown and white creature a little like a goose, but with a long pointed bill and the funniest blue feet. It eyed her sideways, then flung its bill straight up to the sky and stretched its wings out, again giving that piercing whistle. Cosette, transfixed, watched as the bird tucked its bill against its breast and carefully stepped closer, taking great care with the placement of its enormous blue feet. It was nearly touching her skirts by then, holding out first one foot and then the other; then again pausing to spread its wings and whistle.

How charming! Cosette thought, about to call Papa to come and see the strange bird, when someone nearby exclaimed, “Ah, _Sula aubreyi_! I did not realize they had any here.”

Cosette turned to find a skinny old man with sparse, short-cropped gray hair, somewhat receding; he wore a pair of battered spectacles, a much-patched coat with sleeves short enough to expose shirt-cuffs in need of bleaching, and a paisley waistcoat she thought rather splendid. “Yes, the blue-footed booby. I discovered the species myself, during the war, in the Gálapagos Islands; alas, I was not able to return to collect a specimen, but a naval friend of mine sent me a preserved skin and skeleton a few years later. What a fine specimen of the male this is—look at his feet, such a bright shade!” He took off his spectacles, polishing them briefly against his sleeve, and squinted at the booby, which, strolling about in some kind of ecstasy, had found a twig to proffer to Cosette.

“Ought I to take it, sir?” she asked; the booby gazed at her with what she almost fancied was eagerness.

“Only if you wish to accept his courtship,” the man said, with a little cough. “I think our friend is a trifle confused, and has mistaken you for the female of the species.”

“Perhaps it is my shoes,” Cosette said, daintily lifting her hem a little; they were very fine shoes, and she was proud of her taste. The booby commenced another series of excited whistles, followed by a hoarse croaking as it swung its head from side to side, still clutching the twig.

“Cosette, it is growing late,” Papa said, appearing at her elbow and taking her arm. “We ought to leave.”

“Oh, Monsieur—” Cosette stopped, for the old stranger had never quite introduced himself.

“Maturin,” he supplied, with a little bow. “Stephen Maturin; I am a naturalist, sir.”

“Monsieur Maturin was only telling me about the booby, Papa,” Cosette said, leaning happily on his her father’s arm. “Apparently he thinks I am a lady booby, and wishes to court me.”

“How charming,” Papa said, with that gentle smile he gave only to her. “Good day, Monsieur Maturin,” he added, with an awkward tip of his hat, and with that they began making their way back through the Ménagerie to the gardens, Cosette talking all the way about the booby’s funny little dance; she did not look back to see the booby’s head droop again to its breast, as if in dejection.

“I shall have to speak to Cuvier about finding you a female companion,” Maturin murmured to the bird, and then, upon being hailed by his friends, he too left the booby to its lonely fate.

And Cosette’s Papa, as she chattered brightly by his side with tender gaiety, thanked God with all of his soul that Cosette’s suitor was only a great booby in the Jardin des Plantes.

**Author's Note:**

> This is alternate history because
> 
> -"O Sole Mio" was not written until 1898  
> -The blue-footed booby, in actuality _Sula nebouxii_ , was not scientifically described until 1882, by Alphonse Milne-Edwards  
> -I wanted to invent a punny specific epithet but I couldn't think of one so I had Stephen name it after Jack Aubrey
> 
> Additional notes:
> 
> -I pretty much made up everything about the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes because I couldn't find details  
> -Frédéric Cuvier, younger brother of naturalist Georges Cuvier, was the curator of the Ménagerie from 1805 to 1836  
> -Have a charming video of the [courtship dance of the blue-footed booby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgNPaZ5Qdq0)
> 
> I also wrote [a short coda](http://archiveofourown.org/works/800655/chapters/1660606) about Marius the Booby's courtship preparations.


End file.
